In his role as artistic director of Shakespeare & Co., Tony Simotes‘ voice is one of his most important assets. He needs it to talk to actors and deliver tips on crucial acting skills like tone and blocking. When he discovered he had oral cancer, he was worried about how the disease would impact his life’s passion.

But after an arduous treatment process that included surgery, radiation therapy and a feeding tube, Tony still has his voice and continues to do what he loves. Check out the video above to hear Tony’s story and the warning signs for oral cancer.